Just a friendly HG warning to be VERY careful when partaking in low-fat or fat-free foods. A new study shows that people actually consume MORE calories when they snack on foods that are labeled low-fat. It's important to remember, low-fat doesn't necessarily mean low-calorie. In fact, plenty of foods with 50% less fat often only have 15% fewer calories. According to that same study, people also typically underestimate the number of calories in these foods and wind up eating larger portions than they would have if the foods weren't labeled low-fat. That's a BAD combination! Our advice? Read labels carefully, and pay VERY close attention to portion sizes. And if your favorite low-fat chips come in big bags, break 'em down into smaller portions before digging in!

Chocolate B-fast Cereals to Sweep the US!

Now that everyone's blabbing incessantly about how chocolate is actually good for you, you're gonna see the stuff pop up EVERYWHERE -- including the cereal aisle of your local market. And we're not talkin' Cocoa Puffs here, people. We mean cereals that are actually health-focused. 2007 will bring us Life Chocolate Oat Crunch (low-fat, high-fiber cereal coming in February) and Special K Chocolatey Delight (which fits into their two-week weight loss challenge). Who knows...maybe if you kick that chocolate craving first thing in the morning you'll be less likely to snack on candy bars later in the day?! Here's hoping...

Free Stuff for HGers! - Yay! More people love us! Our pals at Heavenly Diet Store (the best place on the web for all things diet-friendly) are giving HG subscribers a special gift. Order pretty much ANYTHING at all from their site (it just needs to total 10 bucks including shipping!) and you'll get a $10.00 snack pack (featuring O'Coco's snacks, bars from Balance, Luna and CocoaVia, soy jerky, Crum Creek soy nut trail mix and Sensible Portions soy crisps) - FOR FREE! Free stuff rocks! IMPORTANT! YOU MUST PUT "HUNGRY GIRL" IN THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS SECTION WHEN YOU CHECK OUT TO GET YOUR FREE GIFT.

The Buzz...

Growing in popularity faster than any fruit in history, pomegranates are taking over the world. Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but since 2003, 961 products featuring the ruby-seeded fruit have launched. Antioxidants are responsible for their sudden surge in popularity. Craziness! ***Soon you may be able to skip your multivitamin and guzzle a can of Diet Coke instead. Rumor has it, The Coca-Cola Company is working on Diet Coke Plus, a version of the fizzy beverage jammed with vitamins and minerals. It's an artificial-ingredient-packed vitamin-infused party in a can...Woohoo! Look for it this spring. ***Have you seen the new chocolate-covered Altoids yet? People are OBSESSED with these things. You can eat 2 of 'em for just 15 calories, and they actually contain a satisfying amount of chocolate. Really -- they do! That's all we've got. HG out!

Sooooooooooooo Hot!

CHEW ON THIS:Today, December 18th, is National Roast Suckling Pig Day. Celebrate with some Gardenburger Riblets instead!

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